This invention relates generally to a device for training beginner bicyclists on how to develop the proper balance and coordination skills necessary for riding a two wheel bicycle. The present invention provides an easy, unaided, and effective way for mastering said bicycling skills.
Learning how to ride a two wheel bicycle is a very difficult task for young children and beginner cyclists, especially since they lack the necessary coordination and balancing skills associated with said task. The customary approach for achieving said bicycling skills is to utilize a set of training wheels, which is attached to the bicycle's rear wheel assembly, as portrayed in prior U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,588,788; 6,419,256; 6,318,745; D345,948, and others. However, using said method is antiquated and ineffective. One major drawback is that the learner tends to lean on the training wheels for support much like riding a tricycle, creating a dependency for said training wheels, whereby preventing the learner from developing the necessary balancing skills. It could take weeks before the learner is weaned off these training wheel devices, whereby the learner develops said balancing skills more by chance than from their design. Another disadvantage is that since there are many different bicycle models and sizes for the beginner, the manufacturing and stocking of each specific type of training wheel device for said models and sizes can get rather costly.
Alternative methods for learning how to ride a bicycle employ straps (U.S. Pat. No. 5,226,820 and others ); seats (U.S. Pat. No. 6,631,948 and others); poles (U.S. Pat. No. 5,915,711 and others), and handles (U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,349,958; 5,791,675; 4,917,398 and others). The significant disadvantage of said devices is that a trainer must always be present and running along side the bicycle, while holding onto said device. Hereto, the development of said bicycling skills by the learner is again delayed due to the dependency on the yaw support provided by the trainer and the device. Gyroscopic support devices, such as U.S. Pat. No. 6,676,150 and others, also create a similar dependent condition for the learner. These gyroscopic devices can get very costly to manufacture, to stock and to purchase.
Presently, all bicycle pedals as in (U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,647,826; 6,513,408; 6,490,948; 6,446,529; 6,230,583; Des 257,249; Des 248,635 and others) are made too long in length, when used as a training pedal device by the beginner cyclist. Said pedals jut out too far longitudinally from the bicycle pedal crank arms, from where they are attached, and tend to collide with the rider's legs, resulting in the loss of stability and maneuverability of said bicycle, thus hindering the balancing and learning process to occur. To correct this problem, the longitudinal length of said pedal should be made variable and shorter, whereby resulting in no physical contact between the rider's leg and said pedal device. The adjustable pedal device (U.S. Pat. No. 6,629,472) can adjust longitudinally to some degree, in arc fashion, however, its design and functionality does not pertain to that of my invention.